Descend and Conquer
by Roxal
Summary: It had been seven years since he had helped Sora seal him inside Kingdom Hearts. He now regretted that every day. Warnings: Mild language. Status: Complete. [RikuSora, SoKairi]
1. Descend

'You can't be in love, for there is no true love.'  
  
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and all of its characters are property and copyright Disney Interactive and Square. Any and all song lyrics are copyright their respective owners. I do not claim them to be my own. Yep.  
  
Hello. This is my... second fanfic ever, I think. No, third. Yep. The other two were X-Files. Anyways, I don't write like this in the story. This is the part where I get to goof off, so don't judge my writing style by this, k? I'm an AP English student and my teacher would kill me if she read this part. ^^;; Heh, spellchecker doesn't like this part much. So, just to let you know, this takes place seven years after the game, around the time of the trailer for KH2. There are spoilers. BIG spoilers. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! This may be a RikuSora romance, but it be very angsty. The first three chapters actually document their time apart. In the fourth they meet up again. Sooo... yeah. My writing style is a bit complicated. Big words. 8th grade vocabulary at least is recommended.  
  
I don't know if anybody is going to like this, so I'll hold off on the second chapter until I get a review saying someone likes it. I don't actually write the stories in my head often, so this is special to me. Enjoy! XD  
  
+++  
  
Darkness...  
  
The darkness engulfed him. His descent into darkness once more...  
  
'This isn't what I wanted...'  
  
"So...ra..."  
  
Torrents flowed around his body, sucking him deeper, deeper, into the pain...  
  
He couldn't feel, he couldn't hear, he couldn't see, only pain.  
  
Pain and darkness.  
  
"So...ra..."  
  
He could feel his heart being wrenched from his body. God, it hurt.  
  
Almost as bad as losing him...  
  
'I was so stupid...'  
  
He had lost all of his memories. All but a faded image of a ghost-like Sora.  
  
'Where is my sun? Where is my sky? My beautiful blue sky...'(AN: Sora in kanji is sky)  
  
"So...ra..."  
  
He didn't bother to open his eyes. He was used to darkness now. Seven long years in darkness.  
  
He fought to keep his heart, but the thought of giving in felt more and more inviting...  
  
Just as he thought all hope was lost, the translucent Sora reached out to him.  
  
"Don't give up, Riku."  
  
Riku opened his eyes wide. His heart was coming back to him. He saw the shining swish of a keyblade, two large, yellow shoes, and a pair of red shorts.  
  
"Sora?"  
  
He scanned further up the form in front of him and saw not spiky, brown hair, but two large ears. It was King Mickey.  
  
"Get out of here, Riku! Go hide!"  
  
Riku obeyed his orders and got unsteadily to his feet. He staggered as quickly as he could to a nearby alcove. Once inside, he closed his eyes. He could already feel tears forming.  
  
It had been seven years since he had helped Sora seal him inside Kingdom Hearts. He now regretted that every day. He was 22 years old now. His silver hair was a bit unkempt, and his bangs covered his eyes. The fire that had once burned bright in his seagreen eyes had dulled considerably since he had last seen Sora. His memory of the boy was now the only thing keeping him going. Even if it was just a faded image, it was something; something to hold on to...  
  
"Has it really been that long, Sora?" he thought aloud. He looked at his hands. They were weak, and his arms were cut and bleeding. That last fight had been close, too close. He had almost died. If Mickey hadn't been there...  
  
Riku was used to darkness now. It was everywhere. Giant heartless lived inside Kingdom Hearts. Riku didn't need to see anymore. He could hear them coming, feel the vibrations of the floor, even smell them. All heartless had the distinct smell of something decaying. It made him sick. All he could think of was destroying them all. Then maybe he could leave... Maybe he could be with Sora again...  
  
Seven years is a long time to think. Other than fighting the heartless, this seemed to be all he had been doing. Thinking about Sora. What had gone so wrong between them? All he could think of now was being with him again. He loved him... Sora was his light. Perhaps the two Keyblade masters were destined to fall in love?  
  
Riku tried to think of ways to justify his actions seven years ago. Why had he sided with Ansem; let Ansem use his body? He hadn't known the consequences would be so severe... Deep down, he merely wanted to best Sora again. 'But it runs even deeper than that...' He sighed. He knew now that he had loved Sora, even if he hadn't known it then.  
  
Kairi had been a distraction, a separation of the two. (AN: Kairi in Kanji means separation.) Riku had felt abandoned by his best friend, one whom he had known since childhood. He wasn't going to let some girl tear them apart. Riku feigned interest in her, when all the while his real interest was in Sora. His search for Kairi was really just a way to be close to Sora again. When he had seen Sora with Donald and Goofy, his heart sank. The only person he really trusted abandoned him. Riku had to challenge him once more. He had to find Kairi first; he had to bait Sora. The darkness could help him with that.  
  
Yes. Darkness was all he had left to turn to. He had to jump into the abyss. He didn't really know if he'd come back, and at the time he didn't really care. He just wanted Sora.  
  
Riku let himself drift out of his thoughts and back to reality. He could smell them. He steadied his wounded arm, which held his keyblade. 'Please let it be a little one...'He couldn't tell in the pitch black of the alcove. He could hear it scuttling toward him.  
  
'If I could just hear your voice I don't think I'd need to see at all...'  
  
He sat up and waited for the monster to come for him. He didn't know how long he could last against anything bigger than a shadow. He needed a potion badly. Much to his surprise, the small shadow jumped right over him and scurried up a tunnel Riku hadn't seen. He leaned over to look up. Light. There was light. 'But... what? How? It can't be... The only light in this damned place comes from the Kingdom Hearts at the center!' Intrigued, Riku began to climb, nursing his arm as he went. The light became brighter, but not by much. It seemed dingy. The shadow turned and looked at him with its beady, glowing eyes and hopped out. Riku hurried after it. Once he jumped through the hole, however, he smelled the unmistakable scent of death.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" he said quietly. He was in a city. A large, seemingly abandoned city. 'But all the neon signs are on... where is everybody?' He turned around, thinking he could just go back, but the hole was gone. "Shit." he cursed. He saw the shadow out of the corner of his eye. It ran down the street and turned down an alleyway. Riku chased after it, having to hold the keyblade in his left hand. 'This thing has to know a way out...' As soon as he rounded the corner, however, he didn't see a way out, but larger shadows, taller than he was, all poised for battle.  
  
Riku gasped. He could barely hold his weapon, how the hell was he supposed to fight twenty or so huge shadows? He winced as he switched his keyblade from his left to right hand. At once the shadows leapt on him. He merely hacked away as best he could. 'I can't do this... I'm going to die... Sora, give me strength... give me strength, give me strength...' He could feel darkness descending on him. He hated feeling helpless, but he was. He was utterly helpless.  
  
Suddenly, someone jumped in and killed shadow after shadow. "Run, Riku!" shouted a familiar voice. Riku hid next to the Dumpster in the alley. The other man mowed down row after row of giant shadows. Riku watched the back of the man's head with great interest. He had spiky hair... was he...? 'No, it couldn't be... could it?'  
  
"Sora?" Riku looked up at the man when he had finished the last of the heartless.  
  
"No." the voice replied. The man turned to face him. It was Cloud.  
  
"Cloud? Huh... where am I? What is this place?" Riku was disappointed but also afraid.  
  
"This is my home," said Cloud, looking down the alley to the deserted city. "It has been taken over by heartless."  
  
"How?" Riku thought that the heartless were no longer a threat, as long as he and King Mickey could keep them away from Kingdom Hearts.  
  
"Ansem. Two years ago, he thought it would be safe to seek the darkness once again." Cloud had turned his back to Riku. "It was horrible. He destroyed many worlds, including Hollow Bastion. My people were forced into hiding. Yuffie is dead. We had no way to stop him. We needed a Keyblade Master..." Cloud eyed the Keyblade Riku was holding: Oblivion. It had been Sora's. Riku didn't know how he had obtained it; it merely came to him when he called for a Keyblade one day. "However, we were hoping it would be Sora... which leads me to ask you, why the hell aren't you guarding Kingdom Hearts?"  
  
Riku was taken aback when Cloud rounded on him. "I-I don't know... I saw a light... and I ended up here. The portal is gone. Besides," he now sounded indignant, " King Mickey doesn't need me. I'm practically useless. I've been saved twice today already."  
  
"King Mickey saved you. You're supposed to save him in return. That's why there are two of you! One person cannot carry out the task alone. They need help. You need to go back." Cloud almost sounded angry.  
  
Riku was getting annoyed. "Where's Sora?" he asked, trying to change the subject. Cloud turned from him again.  
  
"No one knows. After he defeated Ansem, he disappeared. For seven years he's been searching for you."  
  
"For... for me?" Riku's heart leapt. 'Could he...?' "Why?"  
  
"Because you're his friend. He couldn't leave you out there alone. He left Kairi to look for you. After all that, he left her alone for seven years. Yet her affections haven't faltered. She still loves him and waits patiently for his return." Cloud looked thoughtful. "You know, the Destiny Islands are the only place that hasn't been affected by the heartless. No one knows why. Seems they're waiting for something..."  
  
"Waiting for something?" Riku asked. He moved his arm and winced.  
  
"Here. Drink this." Cloud fed him a potion. A cool wind surrounded his bloody body and sealed his wounds. Rain started to fall. Cloud handed him a black raincoat. "You might need this."  
  
"Thanks." Riku replied, putting it on. "So... how do I get out of here and find Kingdom Hearts again? Or Sora..."  
  
"Seven years without seeing your best friend." Cloud tutted his tongue. "You've had an awful lot to think about while you were in there, haven't you? Questioning things..."  
  
Riku stood up. "What do you mean?" 'What is he getting at? Could he know how I feel? No... Of course not.'  
  
"Oh, nothing..." Cloud looked at him thoughtfully. "Don't worry Riku, everything will work out. It always does."  
  
"Yeah, I suppose. But you haven't answered me yet. How do I find him?"  
  
"Ah ah ah," Cloud wagged a finger. "If you want me to help you, you have to help me first."  
  
Riku stepped backward. "How?"  
  
"I told you we needed a Keyblade Master. I need you to find the keyhole. Once my home is safe, I'll take you anywhere you want."  
  
Riku considered Cloud's offer. He had never really searched for a keyhole before, but he knew the behavioral patters of the heartless. That would help. And he desperately wanted to find Sora... "Ok," he said confidently, taking a step forward. "I'll do it."  
  
"Good." The phantom of a smile flitted across Cloud's lips. "You might want to wear this." Cloud tossed Riku a piece of black fabric.  
  
"What's this for? " he said curiously, turning the fabric over in his hands.  
  
"The heartless steal light now. All light. You may end up having to fight them in pitch black."  
  
Riku looked almost angry. "I've lived in darkness for seven years. I know how to fight!"  
  
"At least you had the glow of the Kingdom Hearts. This is total darkness. Can't-see-one-foot-in-front-of-you darkness. You need to practice."  
  
Riku reluctantly put the blindfold on. "There. Can we go now?"  
  
Cloud seemed satisfied. "You lead the way."  
  
Riku was now thoroughly annoyed and ran ahead, following the sickening smell of decay to its most potent area. He was standing in front of a large building covered in giant TV screens. The rain came down in torrents. The slimy sound of heartless rising from the ground surrounded him. He held out his hands. Oblivion appeared in his right, while another appeared in his left. Riku saw from under his blindfold that it was Oathkeeper.  
  
"Sora...?" he looked at the blade inquisitively. Was Sora helping him? Riku regained his state of mind and focused on the task at hand.  
  
He faced the crackling sound of the television screens. "Where's Sora?"  
  
+++  
  
Ch. 1 Fin  
  
+++  
  
Yay! Wasn't that fun? Now, remember, I won't post the second chapter 'til someone says they want me to. I'm not always confident about my writing.  
  
Chapter 2: Where has Sora been for the last seven years? What about Kairi? Are their feelings of love still mutual? Find out next time... if there is a next time... 


	2. Alone Together

'Still don't know what you think of me. You still don't know what to make of me. You still don't know what you mean to me. Still don't know what you think of me.'  
  
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and all of its characters are property and copyright Disney Interactive and Square. Any and all song lyrics are copyright their respective owners. I do not claim them to be my own. Yep.  
  
Apparently, people liked Ch. 1 enough to give me another go. Yay! Thanks for your reviews! It's so nice to get feedback. ^^ You get Ch. 2 now! Woohoo! Sorry if this is a bit shite. I just came back from trick-or- treating. Yeah, I'm 16. So? ^^ Free candy. I was Harry Potter. Well, Harriet, LOL.  
  
+++  
  
Kairi stood on the beach of the Destiny Islands.  
  
'I'll wait for you forever...'  
  
It had become habit for her to stand there for an hour everyday. Maybe if she waited.  
  
Kairi was now 21 years old. Her auburn hair had grown down to her elbows. The little outfit she'd worn seven years ago hadn't changed much. She was glad to find something remarkably similar to the old mini-skirt and tank top.  
  
The warm breeze ruffled her skirt as she drew lines in the sand with her toes. She sighed and looked up at the clouds lazily wafting by. 'I wish you'd come home to me. I love you.'  
  
Kairi missed Sora more than anything; even Riku. Sure, she liked Riku, but Sora... She loved Sora. Sora had saved her. She was still unsure of Riku's intentions seven years ago. She knew deep down that he was still her friend. But he had looked so... soulless. She wondered if she should still trust him. What if he came back first?  
  
...And why was Sora so intent on finding him? Why couldn't he have just searched for a year or two and then come back to her? He couldn't be dead, could he? No... she could still feel him somehow. He was out there. but where?  
  
She took an old photo out of her pocket. It was torn around the edges and part of it had been ripped off. She hadn't meant to rip Riku out of the picture. Hers and Sora's faces smiled up at her. His goofy grin made her laugh. But she couldn't help wondering.  
  
Kairi knew Sora loved her. He had to. But he had always been closer to Riku. She usually brushed it off as two boys who had known each other forever. She studied the picture. Even though Riku's face wasn't there, his presence couldn't be denied. He had a hand on Sora's shoulder. Kairi looked closer. It looked almost. possessive. But...Why? What didn't she know? Though Riku showed signs of interest in her, he always seemed so relaxed around Sora. Kairi furrowed her brow and shoved the photo back in her pocket.  
  
When she looked up, something blue was falling from the sky. She walked quickly down the beach to see what it was. It drifted further and further downward. It was going to land about fifty feet out in the water...  
  
Kairi squinted through the sun's rays to see that it was a Gummi Ship. 'Huh? Why is a Gummi Ship...? Sora?' Her heart raced. The ship landed with a splash in the ocean. She jumped into the water, swimming straight for it. Her heart pounded with anticipation. Had he finally returned to her?  
  
'So fragile. Our hearts are so fragile. Too much hope and they burst.'  
  
Kairi kept her head above water about five feet away from the ship's cockpit. She couldn't see a thing through the glass. Suddenly, she heard a clicking sound and the dome began to open.  
  
She watched with bated breath as the glass revealed two black shoes, a pair of black pants, a red shirt with a blue and white jacket, and a head full of spiky, brown hair.  
  
"SORA!" Kairi screamed. She was about to try and climb the side of the ship when he dove in after her. He surfaced and grabbed her shoulders gently in an embrace. "Sora..." she leaned her head on his shoulder, "is it really you?"  
  
"Yes." he replied. "Oh, Kairi... I've missed you so much." She pulled away from him and kissed his lips. He reacted quickly and returned the kiss.  
  
"Seven years..." she said with half-lidded eyes. "You've come back to me, my love." She smiled softly and leaned her head on his shoulder again. "What made you come back?"  
  
"You," he crooned in her ears, "and Riku."  
  
Kairi lifted her head. "Riku? But... he's not here. What do you mean?"  
  
"He's gotten away from Kingdom Hearts. I figured he'd come here first... what's wrong, Kairi?" Sora tilted his head, studying Kairi's sudden change of expression.  
  
"Hm? Oh, nothing... Where have you been for so long? What kept you from me?" She searched desperately for something to say. Were her suspicions being confirmed?  
  
"I was looking," he said off-handedly. "For Riku... And King Mickey." He added quickly.  
  
"For seven years? You couldn't come once? Sora...!"  
  
"What does it matter? We're together now!" he said, a bit more harshly than intended. "Kairi, I..."  
  
"No." she cut him off. "No, you're right. It doesn't matter. We're together, and that's all that matters." She smiled at him. Sora's muscles relaxed and he smiled too. "C'mon, let's pull this thing to shore." She jerked a thumb at the Gummi Ship.  
  
They each grabbed a bit of it and pulled it easily through the water. It seemed to glide along the surface. When they had reached the shore, the sun was beginning to set. They grabbed themselves a seat on the sand and gazed wonderingly and the menagerie of colors.  
  
Kairi leaned her head on his shoulder. "Sora...?" she began lazily.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Do you still love me?"  
  
Sora looked at his feet, then stroked Kairi's hair. "Of course I do."  
  
"I missed you so much." She nuzzled his neck with her nose.  
  
"And I you." He moved his hand to her shoulder.  
  
Kairi looked back to the purples and reds merging in the sky. "Why didn't you come for me? Why couldn't you take a break, if only for a day? At least to let me know you were alive..."  
  
"I told you..." he said quietly, looking down. "I was busy... searching."  
  
"Does Riku mean more to you than I do?" She lifted her head and looked into his eyes.  
  
"No!" he replied automatically. "I mean, well, Kairi, he's my best friend. You both mean different things in different ways-"  
  
"Do you love him?" She demanded, her eyes unmoving.  
  
"WHAT!" Sora jumped away from her slightly. "What the hell are you talking about?!"  
  
Kairi stood, still staring him down. "Tell me, Sora."  
  
"Of course I do! He's my best friend! Of course I love him!" Sora looked at her wide-eyed.  
  
"I don't mean like that." Her voice was breaking. "Do you think of him as something... more than a friend?"  
  
"Kairi." he reached out a hand for her, but she pulled away. "Kairi, what do you want me to say?"  
  
"The truth!" A tear rolled down her cheek. "I want to stop deluding myself with thinking that you love me. If you love him..."  
  
"Kairi, I do love you. I just..."  
  
This was all she needed to hear. She began sobbing and ran down the beach to her home. "KAIRI!" Sora stood and started after her, but thought better of it. 'She's just stressed. she hasn't seen me in seven years, after all.' He reassured himself. "And yet... why was she asking me about Riku like that? How could she know...? I haven't seen her, she has no reason to think that...'  
  
Sora stood in the moonlight, gazing out at the water. 'What happened to me out there? Have I changed so much?' His search for Riku was what he had lived for. But how did he know Riku had escaped?  
  
"We have been connected."  
  
Sora thought back to his own words of friendship before Ansem. Friends and people with deep emotional bonds were connected somehow. They could feel one another through their hearts. That's why Sora still searched. That's why Kairi still waited for him.  
  
'Kairi...' Sora thought back to the way he had treated her. She was right. Why didn't he keep any contact with her? His search consumed him so that he lost all feeling of anything (or anyone) else.  
  
Sora's fresh tears glinted in the soft moonlight. 'So fragile. Our hearts are so fragile. Too much pain and they die.' He heard something moving inside the Gummi Ship.  
  
It was Goofy. "Sora?" he called out. Sora tried to move away but the dog's steps were so long that he was at Sora's side in no time. "Sora... why are you crying?"  
  
"It's nothing." He lied, turning his head away.  
  
"It's okay, Sora. You can tell me anything." Goofy smiled at him warmly.  
  
Sora's tears welled up again as he looked into the large, black eyes. Something about him made Sora feel safe. "Oh, Goofy," Sora hugged him. "I miss him so much."  
  
"Don't you mean 'her'? You've finally found her, though, haven't you?" He was confused by the young man's response.  
  
Sora wiped his eyes with the back of his glove. "No, him. Riku. I can feel him, in my heart. I know he's alive. I know he's escaped from Kingdom Hearts... but he's not here. Goofy, I think he's in pain."  
  
Goofy rubbed Sora's back reassuringly. "It's okay. We'll find him. If you know he's alive, well, that's proof enough. Everything will be all right."  
  
Sora's tears subsided. Goofy always knew what to say. Even if he was a bumbling idiot at times, he knew how to offer comfort.  
  
Suddenly, Sora began to feel strange. His breathing became shallow, and his heartbeat was erratic. He began to sink to his knees.  
  
"Sora?" Goofy tried to hold him up, but he was slipping.  
  
"I... I... Riku... don't... give up..." and he was out cold.  
  
+++  
  
Ch. 2 Fin  
  
+++  
  
Once again, sorry if this is bad, but I'm tired. Stupid Florida with its 80- degree weather even after the sun goes down... Well, Peace, love and Woodstock! Have a good weekend! And remember, don't drink and ride your bike, and if you don't like the weather, move.  
  
Ch. 3: Will Riku find the keyhole? If he does, will Cloud keep his end of the bargain, or leave Riku in the cold? Find out next time! 


	3. Searching

'I've tried hard to mend my wicked ways. Acted like a lunatic for years. Lord knows I try to be good. I'd keep my promises if only I could. You count your blessings that I can't rely on you.'  
  
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and all of its characters are property and copyright Disney Interactive and Square. Any and all song lyrics are copyright their respective owners. I do not claim them to be my own. Yep.  
  
It's late. Figured I'd start working on this. Once again, thanks for reviews! Any and all input is greatly appreciated! And Uncle Tom scares me... please don't make my kneecaps into coasters! .   
  
Listen to 'Memory' from Cowboy Bebop while reading this if at all possible. I keep playing it over and over. It's inspiring me. My evil, child-like muse... My life revolves around music. Some of the thoughts in this are actually song lyrics.  
  
+++  
  
"Hmf."  
  
Riku scoffed at the sound of a never-ending field of heartless approaching. With his strength renewed he felt he could take them on easily. It was almost hard for him to believe that they were once at his beck and call. An evil smirk curled his lips.  
  
It seemed now that, in a way, they controlled him. They controlled where he could go, when he could sleep... hell, he even followed one here. All he'd done recently was kill them, if you can call it killing. They're already essentially dead; worse than dead. They had no souls to speak of, and what little heart they had was stolen from others.  
  
Riku stood up straight then poised himself for battle. The creatures leapt at him. He swung his weapons deftly through the air, catching an overgrown shadow with each swipe. He didn't need to practice. He'd been fighting in darkness for years.  
  
One by one, the heartless fell and disappeared, leaving crystal hearts to float up to Heaven. Riku once again let his senses guide him and entered the massive building before him. He climbed higher and higher toward the radiating evil and penetrating smell of death.  
  
Finally he opened the door to the roof of the building and heard the rain falling around him. He walked to the edge and let the wind and rain wash over him. 'I could jump...' he thought solemnly. He smiled and removed the blindfold, his eyes still closed.  
  
Just as he was about to surrender, his thoughts flashed to a glimpse of a smile. He opened his eyes wide and caught himself, taking a few steps back.  
  
'I've got to keep myself together; you know I hate to disappoint. A masochistic lamb to slaughter. Well maybe you missed the point.'  
  
Riku looked around and saw more heartless appear. 'Dammit! Never let your guard down, stupid!' Then, out of nowhere, a jet of blue flame in the shape of the heartless' symbol surrounded him.  
  
Then he saw it: the keyhole. It was on the other side of the rooftop. If he took five more steps...  
  
He set off for it at a run, but as he reached the edge of the flames, they shot up ten feet high, denying him passage. "Shit." He muttered. "Now what?"  
  
Riku heard a rushing sound above his head. It sounded almost like.. Rushing wings? He looked up and saw a gigantic, bat-like creature swooping down toward him. He ducked and rolled toward the center of the heart. 'Trapped.' He thought. 'I'm trapped. Oh great...'  
  
He stood again but quickly ducked as the monster made another move to strike. 'Stupid bastards think they're invincible.' When the creature rushed back, Riku held one keyblade high and caught its shoulder. It made a horrible, screeching noise. Riku shuddered.  
  
As the creature turned to face him again, Riku noticed its hollow, red eyes. He felt a bit unnerved, but charged at it anyway. With the beast injured, it would be more of a fair fight. He wouldn't have to duck anymore, anyway. He leapt at it with both arms outstretched, spinning like a kind of deadly helicopter. The monster emitted more ear-splitting screams and became enraged. It tried desperately to fly upward and dive at him, but its injured wing kept it near the ground.  
  
Riku saw his opportunity and struck the heartless at the back of its head. The screeching stopped and the creature fell, slowly dissipating leaving behind sparks and a rather large, glowing heart. The flames around him disappeared and he ran past the shadows to the keyhole. Oathkeeper began to glow and stars flew out of its end, connecting to the keyhole. Riku heard a faint clicking sound. The heartless that had surrounded him were gone.  
  
Cloud was waiting for him as he exited the building. Riku couldn't help but notice that the stars seemed. brighter. The air seemed a bit clearer, too. He lowered his hood and let what was left of the rain cool his face.  
  
"I've done my part," he said, turning to Cloud. "Now you do yours."  
  
Cloud merely looked at him and muttered the words "follow me" from the corner of his mouth. Riku did as he was instructed, walking closely behind Cloud through the seemingly endless city streets.  
  
Cloud stopped in front of a large, blown-out looking building. Riku hadn't noticed and accidentally bumped into him. Cloud ignored his apology and looked high up to a broken window.  
  
To Riku's surprise, a small face looked out. Cloud nodded and the person inside whistled loudly. Riku suddenly noticed an awful lot of movement around him. What was that all about? He didn't smell the decay, however, so it couldn't have been bad..  
  
There was suddenly a face at every window of the building; cautious at first, then whoops of victory were ringing throughout the street. Riku couldn't help but smile. This was where Cloud's friends were hiding. Aerith raced out and embraced Cloud, while Squall walked slowly out and leaned against the battered building's doorway, folding his arms.  
  
"We were wondering when one of you would come." Squall looked impatient, though his tone wasn't malicious.  
  
Aerith smiled at him over Cloud's shoulder. "Thank you." She whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.  
  
"The threat isn't over yet," Cloud said, gently releasing Aerith. "Ansem is still out there, somewhere." He turned to Riku. "I'll let you use my Gummi Ship, but I won't be able to come with you. My place is here now. Riku..." He placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Find Sora. He misses you as much as you miss him. But promise me... Promise me that you'll find and destroy Ansem. You must know his weaknesses."  
  
Riku winced. He knew Ansem's weaknesses, all right. He tried to suppress the painful memories and looked back at Cloud. "I promise." He said confidently.  
  
"Good. Come with me." Riku once again followed Cloud. They went deep into the roofless building and eventually came to a pile of rocks. Cloud began flinging the rocks aside. "I've been hiding it here," he grunted, "incase the heartless ever found us." Riku helped Cloud uncover the ship. When they had finished, Cloud turned to him. "I assume you know how to fly one of these things." Riku nodded. "Go to the Destiny Islands. Even if Sora isn't there... I still think you'd want to anyhow."  
  
Riku smiled and thanked Cloud for all his help as he climbed into the cockpit. 'I'm going home,' he thought, and his smile broadened. Cloud was right; even if Sora wasn't there (though he hoped and prayed he would be), at least he would get to see his island again.  
  
'In our electric storms and our shifting sands. Our candy jars and our sticky hands.'  
  
+++  
  
Ch. 3 Fin  
  
+++  
  
Well, that's that. I hope I portrayed Riku and Cloud a bit more accurately here. I've never played FF7, so I don't know Cloud's personality too well. Oh, and by the way, +huge sob+ I... I... I had to return my PS2 to Blockbuster today! +Wail+ No more KH! Well, at least I beat it. Took me two weeks and fifty dollars, though. I'm saving up to buy a console and my very own copy of KH. Stupid job doesn't pay that much, so it might take a month or so. Oh well..  
  
Ch. 4: What happened to Sora? Is he okay? Will Riku make it back to Destiny Islands? Will Kairi calm the fuck down? Find out next time...! 


	4. Reunited

'I didn't feel so bad 'til the sun went down. Then I come home, no one to wrap my arms around.'  
  
'I am afraid there is so much to be afraid of. I kill the fire so I don't get burned. Kill the fire and you won't get burned.'  
  
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and all of its characters are property and copyright Disney Interactive and Square. Any and all song lyrics are copyright their respective owners. I do not claim them to be my own. Yep.  
  
Thanks so much for all your reviews! They help me when I get tired of typing. ^^; I feel so very inspired tonight. I don't know why... Well, I promised you that Sora and Riku would reunite in Ch. 4. I'm not one to break promises to strangers. ^_^ Maybe we'll get to the romance part now. XD  
  
+++  
  
Sora woke with a start. His head hurt. He leaned forward, dragging a hand through his hair and leaving it to rest on the back of his neck. He closed his eyes tightly and sighed.  
  
"Did I wake you?"  
  
Sora came back to reality with a jolt. He spun around to see Kairi smiling softly at him.  
  
In the brief instant before he saw her, he had no idea where he was. He thought he was in another nameless hotel, then realized the room was his own and wondered if the past seven years had been a horrible nightmare. Kairi's aged face told him it was not.  
  
"Kairi, I-" Sora felt the need to apologize yet again. Kairi was usually easy-going, but sometimes she couldn't be pacified so easily.  
  
"I'm sorry." She finished for him. "I'm sorry about what I said last night. It's just... Oh, Sora. It's been so long. I waited for you, and then it began to dawn on me that you loved another. It was more than I could take. I'm sorry." She leaned over and hugged him.  
  
"I'm sorry, too, Kairi. For... Everything." He felt her breath on his neck as she giggled slightly.  
  
"I forgive you." She sat up again and smiled at him. "But I have to ask you something, Sora." 'Oh, God, not again.' Sora thought. "You love Riku, right?"  
  
"Yeah..." he replied quietly, afraid of another outburst.  
  
"Hmm. Well, I want you to think about that. You've been searching for him for the last seven years. Maybe you're confusing an obsession with love." She tilted her head. "Consider that. I won't share you, Sora, so you're going to have to choose. I'm sorry."  
  
"But..." Sora was confused. Surely he wasn't confusing a silly obsession with love. "What if I can't?"  
  
"Then I guess you'll go without. I don't think Riku would be too keen on the idea of having to share either. He's always been rather... Possessive."  
  
Sora eyed her curiously. "Ok," he replied. "I'll think about it."  
  
"Good." Kairi smiled again and left him to his thoughts.  
  
'What a nice ultimatum, Kairi. Leave it to a head-strong girl...' Sora flopped down on the bed again, staring at the ceiling. 'What am I supposed to do now?'  
  
Sora got up and crossed the room to his balcony. It was sunrise. He smiled at the faint traces of color in the sky. He'd always enjoyed sunrises more than sunsets. Though less brilliant, they held a special meaning.  
  
Sure, sunsets are beautiful, especially over a wide ocean. But in a blaze of glory, they're gone, and only darkness remains. Sunrises, on the other hand, may start small, but everything becomes more and more beautiful until the world is bathed in light. Yes, Sora had always enjoyed sunrises more.  
  
Sora couldn't help wondering what had caused his collapse. He thought back to the moments just before he fell. "I think he's in pain..." A snippet of his own voice traveled back to his mind. Did this have anything to do with his 'connection' to Riku?  
  
He looked out to the few remaining stars. Was Riku on one of those worlds? Was he... Dead? Sora pushed the thought out of his mind. No sense in worrying over something he was fairly sure wasn't true.  
  
When day had broken, he decided to go down to the beach. Maybe he'd see Tidus or Wakka. He wondered what'd happened to them since he left.  
  
Unfortunately, he caught no glimpse of them. Selphie, however, was sitting at the end of the dock as if nothing had ever happened.  
  
The sight put Sora at ease, and almost made him laugh. That was Selphie for you. Maybe she thought that if she sat there long enough a knight in shining armor would whisk her away. He walked down to the end of the dock and took a seat next to her. Maybe she could offer some comfort.  
  
"Hey Selphie!" He grinned, pulling her out of a daydream.  
  
"Hey! You scared me half to- Sora?" She looked at him wide-eyed. He grinned more broadly at her and nodded. "SORA! Oh my God! Where have you been?!" she exclaimed, squeezing him tight.  
  
"Urrgh..." he struggled to breathe through the bone-crushing hug. "Looking for... Riku..." he gasped.  
  
She released her grip. "Really? All this time? Well let's hope you found him!"  
  
"Uhh..." he smirked stupidly, not knowing what to say. "Sort of."  
  
"Seven years and you /still/ haven't found him? Sora, you need to get on the ball!" Selphie put her hands on her hips.  
  
"I'm getting there!" he replied in exasperation. "So... Where are Wakka and Tidus? I haven't seen them yet." He asked, quickly changing the subject.  
  
Selphie looked over the ocean. "No one knows. After the Heartless invaded, they disappeared. Haven't seen them since."  
  
"Geeze, I wonder what happened to them..." Selphie shrugged at him. "Well, what else has happened on the island while I was gone?"  
  
Sora spent the next hour or so letting few of Selphie's words penetrate his mind. His thoughts wandered over the island, into the stars, and out of sight. He sighed and folded his hands behind his head. He was just about to lay back when he saw it...  
  
Something blue streaked across the sky above the endless expanse of water. It looked like... No. It couldn't be.  
  
But it was. It hit the ocean with a loud splash, causing Selphie to scream. Sora stood and squinted to see it. Without a second thought he dove headfirst into the water.  
  
The Gummi Ship wasn't that far out, and Sora reached it in practically no time. He waited, suspended in the water, for someone to get out of the cockpit. His breaths were deep. Adrenaline rushed through his veins. Every muscle was tense. Waiting...  
  
Then he came. He looked almost exactly as Sora remembered him, though his clothes were in a terrible state of disrepair. His silvery locks had grown a bit, some hanging over his fiery seagreen eyes. He looked like some fabled war hero with the wind lightly tossing his hair and loose pieces of clothing about.  
  
It was Riku. He knew it was. Sora took a deep breath and almost choked. How long had he waited for this day? And now he couldn't speak. 'Oh great,' he thought. 'I'm making an ass of myself. Oh great, oh great...'  
  
As he floated there, Riku noticed him and almost collapsed off the ship into the water. When he surfaced he grabbed Sora tightly. His once powerful arms seemed so frail. Sora put a hand on the back of Riku's head and stroked his lustrous hair. "Sora..." Riku called weakly. Sora barely knew what was happening when he realized Riku had passed out.  
  
++  
  
"Riku..."  
  
Riku kept his eyes shut and rolled over in the direction of the distant voice. That battle and the journey had taken a bit more out of him than he had expected.  
  
"Riku, are you okay?"  
  
The voice sounded closer now. He recognized it, but couldn't place it. Like a voice he'd heard before, but deeper, more masculine, if that made any sense at all.  
  
"Riku, get up."  
  
It was Sora's voice. Riku opened his eyes slowly, letting the room come into focus. He was in his own room. A grinning face with brown, spiky hair was smiling down at him.  
  
"Oh, thank God." Sora sighed. "I thought I'd lost you again."  
  
Riku smiled gently. "I hope that never happens." He extended his hand and stroked Sora's cheek with his gloved thumb. Sora smiled more warmly at him and leaned down to hug him.  
  
His face met Riku's lips.  
  
"Sora..." Much to Riku's surprise, the younger man did not recoil, or pull away. He merely kept smiling down at his friend. "Sora, if I ever lost you again, I'd die. I... I love you."  
  
Riku was afraid of what kind of reaction this would get him. The last thing he expected was a not-so-chaste kiss from Sora. Riku was shocked at first, but returned the kiss. 'This is too easy.' He thought. 'Too easy...'  
  
Sora broke their contact at last. "I love you, too, Riku."  
  
"You never fail to amaze me." Replied Riku breathlessly. They both smiled and laughed slightly. So Sora amazed him again by sitting on his bed. The younger man grabbed his wrists and pushed them down into the sheets, easily overpowering the weakened Riku. Sora kissed him again, but more passionately so, this time taking an opportunity to allow his tongue to enter Riku's mouth. Riku was in ecstasy. This was what he'd waited for; this was what he'd hungered for. It felt so right... Then suddenly, it felt wrong.  
  
The gentle restraint Sora had held on his wrists became rougher, more violent. Riku got the sneaking suspicion that Sora was trying to hurt him. He opened his eyes in panic and saw that it was no longer Sora lying on top of him, but a shadow. Riku screamed and tried to escape... But there was no escape.  
  
++  
  
"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!" Riku sat straight up, panting and sweating.  
  
For a moment he had no idea where the hell he was. Everything was upside down. What the hell kind of a dream was that? What a nightmare...  
  
He suddenly realized that he was on a beach. It was dark. What few stars were left were shining on him, reflecting in the water. He looked around. To his left lay the small island with the Paopu tree. To his right was... Sora?  
  
"Riku? Riku, are you okay?" Sora put a reassuring hand on Riku's back.  
  
"Sora?" He eyed the younger man suspiciously. Was this another nightmare? "Sora, is it really you this time?"  
  
"Of course it's me." He looked worried. The expression looked unnatural on his usually happy face.  
  
"Sora... I've missed you so much." He turned and embraced his friend. This felt real. It had to be real.  
  
"Riku..." Riku felt Sora's hand run through his hair, a sublimely comforting gesture. He also felt Sora's hot breath on his neck as the boy sobbed uncontrollably. "I've searched for so long, so long... Don't ever leave me again! Ever!"  
  
"I won't." he replied gently. He meant it. He would never leave him again for as long as he lived. "I can't."  
  
Sora's sobs turned into a shower of gentle kisses on his neck and shoulder. Riku gently stroked his hair, letting his own tears of relief and joy fall into it.  
  
This may have been his only chance. He cupped Sora's chin with his hands and drew him to look up into his eyes. Riku smiled gently and kissed his forehead. Sora did not pull away, but closed his eyes. Riku took this as an invitation to continue. He kissed Sora's right cheek, then his left. He hesitated before kissing his lips and chose his chin instead. Then he waited. The moment seemed suspended in time. Riku thought that Sora must've wanted to go further, but would let Riku do it. 'He's just as unsure as I am...'  
  
Neither of them wanted to risk destroying everything they'd worked so hard to build. Those few seconds went on forever. It was Sora who finally broke the tension. He kissed Riku firmly on the lips, then pulled away, waiting for a reaction.  
  
Riku smiled at him. Sora looked into his eyes, searchingly. "Riku, I need to tell you something... I-"  
  
"I love you too." His heart felt warmed by the boy's innocence. They both looked at each other for a moment when Riku finally knocked him backward into the sand. "I'll never leave you again." He whispered as he kissed Sora's ear before moving back to his lips and down his neck.  
  
'Soft hair and a velvet tongue, I wanna give you what you give to me. And every breath that is in your lungs is a tiny little gift to me.'  
  
+++  
  
Ch. 4 Fin  
  
+++  
  
Woohoo! Hot potato, I'm on fire! Two chapters in one night, and this one's five pages. O.O God bless candy and Dr. Pepper. It's almost 2 a.m. Maybe I should slee- zzzZZZzzz...  
  
Ch. 5: Why /is/ Kairi being so weird? Will she interrupt the boy's little kissing scene? Find out next time! 


	5. All Along

'Can't seem to make you mine.'  
  
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and all of its characters are property and copyright Disney Interactive and Square. Any and all song lyrics are copyright their respective owners. I do not claim them to be my own. Yep.  
  
Heh, this should be fun. I only really had this thing planned up to Ch. 4. Well, improvisation, here we come! As a result, the following chapters may take a bit longer to produce. Sorry! Keep reviewing, I may become inspired again. XD  
  
+++  
  
Kairi sat in the cool depths of the Secret Place. She looked around at the scribbles on the walls. Her childhood was in this cave. Her stolen childhood...  
  
She ran her hand along the moist cavern walls, letting it rest on her drawing of Sora. "Hmf." She sighed. At one point he had loved her and her alone. She lazily traced the outline of the Paopu fruit he was giving to her own likeness.  
  
"I can't believe this is happening... Sora... How could you...?" She let silver tears glide down her cheeks. After all this time, waiting, this was what she got? A ten-year-old drawing and painful memories? She tried to suppress her sobs but they soon took her over. She collapsed to her knees and placed her head on the childish images.  
  
'I can't share you... You have to choose. You have to...' Kairi couldn't help but feel she'd been mean to Sora. She didn't mean to be, but... Well, wouldn't anyone react that way if his or her only love wanted to be with someone else? Especially a guy...  
  
She had a hard time wrapping her mind around the fact that they were gay. When had this surfaced? Seven years /is/ a long time, but... Come on now, gay? Maybe that's what had hurt her so much. Maybe she wouldn't have really minded as much if it was another girl, but Sora loved a man. This was too weird.  
  
She hadn't really suspected the truth until yesterday; staring at Riku's dominating hand in a tattered old photograph. She tried to think back to the days before the heartless. Had they shown any signs of this then? Her mind searched and she remembered the way Sora always blushed a little when Riku paid him a compliment; the way Riku always tried to look more dignified when Sora was around; the way the two just seemed... happier when the other was there.  
  
'Oh, great.' She slumped down even further. 'They even showed it then. How stupid was I? How stupid was I to believe that I could have him for myself...?'  
  
Moonlight drifted through the hole in the ceiling of the cave, casting eerily beautiful shadows all around her. 'It's getting late. I should get back.' She thought, standing and brushing herself off.  
  
Kairi walked slowly to the cave's entrance, wiping tears from her eyes as she went. She gently pushed some branches aside to leave, but immediately let them go and stood wide-eyed in shock.  
  
It must've been the worst thing that could happen to her at the time. There in the moonlight was Sora, lying in Riku's arms, both rocking gently. She ran back down the tunnel, sobbing uncontrollably.  
  
How convenient for her she chose that exact time to leave, for what she could have seen next might've killed her.  
  
+++  
  
Ch. 5 Fin  
  
+++  
  
Sorry for the short chapter, but I figured I might as well get Kairi's side in there. I've portrayed her as a bit of an ass. Thought I'd give her a reason for acting that way. I mean, what would /you/ do if /your/ boyfriend or girlfriend suddenly turned gay? Or even just wanted to leave you for that matter? She's waited seven years and she doesn't even get him back. She has a right to be bitchy. ^_^ 


	6. Same boy you've always Known

'You're looking down again, and then you look me over. We're lying down again on a blanket in the clover. The same boy you've always known; well I guess I haven't grown. The same boy you've always known. Think of what the past did. It could've lasted.'  
  
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and all of its characters are property and copyright Disney Interactive and Square. Any and all song lyrics are copyright their respective owners. I do not claim them to be my own. Yep.  
  
Maybe you won't have to wait as long as I thought. I'm bored, so I'ma write. I have the computer's volume turned up all the way and all the windows open, blasting Garbage, the Vines, KH, and White Stripes. Whee! BTW, Ch. 4 had my first ever kissing scene. +blushes+ I hope they get better. . Lalala...  
  
BTW: I changed the rating to PG-13 for two reasons. 1. I don't think I'd ever actually write anything R-rated cuz I'm shy and don't want people to think I'm a total perv. : B and B. It'll reach more readers this way. Why, yes, I /am/ greedy.  
  
+++  
  
Sora lay in Riku's strong, comforting arms. His cheeks showed the paths of old tears. For the first time in what seemed like forever, he was happy. Everything was right with the world. Everything was perfect...  
  
'If I should die this very moment, I wouldn't fear, for I've never known completeness like being here. Wrapped in the warmth of you, loving every breath of you. Be still my heart this moment, or it might burst... I've found the one I've waited for.'  
  
"This is everything I hoped it'd be..." Sora breathed into Riku's bare chest.  
  
"So you've thought about it." Riku remarked jokingly. Sora looked away, blushing. "So have I." He brushed a few stray locks of hair out of Sora's eyes.  
  
Sora half-smirked, half-smiled up into Riku's tranquil blue-green eyes. "Riku..." he crooned softly. "When did you realize you loved me?"  
  
Riku let out a long sigh. His expression changed slightly, but barely enough to notice. "Maybe it was six years ago..." He took a deep breath. "This may be a bit of a long story.  
  
"When we were still on the island, I had no idea that what I felt was love. I thought it was a deep friendship. My thoughts of you as anything else were suppressed and just dismissed as hormones. I tried to direct my attention to Kairi.  
  
"This may have been a mistake. The more I thought of having any relationship with Kairi, the more I skewed it into another competition with you. I know this sounds weird, but... I lived to be better than you were. If I were better than you, you'd need me. And I needed to be needed, Sora. Especially by you. If I won Kairi's heart, I'd have beaten you again; and even better, your attention would be back on me.  
  
"I'd always viewed her as a wedge that someone was hammering between us. I didn't know why, but, I just wanted her out of the way so we could be together again, like we were. Every adoring glance you gave her was like putting pressure on the hilt of an invisible knife being slowly driven into my heart. I just wanted your attention back. I tried to win her to keep her from distracting you.  
  
"But I couldn't do it. Remember the race we had, the day before... Everything? When I beat you, and I saw your face after telling you that I would share a Paopu with Kairi, I just... I couldn't bear to see you so sad. I just wanted you to be happy, Sora. I still do.  
  
"It was then that I knew that no matter what I could offer you, she could always give you more. That hurt. It hurts me even now. You wanted her, and not me. I've always been good about hiding my emotions, but... I had to try really hard that day. The realization was so hard. I could never be with you like I was in those idle daydreams. I could only be a friend. Your eyes told me that that day."  
  
"Did you consider that maybe I was afraid of losing /you/? Maybe my intentions were the same. Maybe... Maybe Kairi's been nothing but a distraction for both of us... All along." Sora's voice sounded strangely hopeful as he looked at Riku with his large, round eyes.  
  
Riku paused for a moment and thought. His expression softened and he stroked Sora's hair. "No. That doesn't sound like you at all. You've always worn your feelings on your sleeve. Your attraction to Kairi was all too obvious."  
  
Sora looked down. Riku was right. He, Sora, had loved Kairi since they first met. Riku was a more complicated issue. Sora had also had strange feelings toward his best friend. He did his best to mask them, but the crimson blush of his cheek was still noticeable from time to time. Sora laid his head down on Riku's chest again while wrapping an arm around his waist. "Ok," he sighed, "Continue."  
  
Riku smiled and kissed the top of Sora's head. "Where was I? Oh, yes.  
  
"That night, when the heartless came, somehow I knew what was going to happen. I knew we were going to be separated. To this day I still don't know why.  
  
"I was waiting for you to come that night. I was hoping that you'd look for me first. You knew I'd be there. I was so glad when you came.  
  
"I wasn't worried about Kairi. I didn't really think much of her then. I still don't know what I think of her. I told you that she was coming to so you would just let it go and come with me. Even though it didn't look like it, I was panicking when you didn't grab my hand in time. 'Oh, God,' I thought, 'don't let me lose him.' But you were gone. And everything has been darkness ever since.  
  
"I woke up in a strange room. I was scared to death. I met Maleficent there. And Ansem..." Riku gave a slight shudder. "I'd rather not think about him.  
  
"They knew my heart was strong. They didn't tell me that, though. I figured that out when I was completely gone. They said they needed me. They said I was 'important.' I needed to surrender myself to them.  
  
"I, of course, flatly refused. Why would I do anything like that for two complete strangers? Then they fed me full of lies about you and Kairi abandoning me. They said that neither of you cared for me. You had already replaced me. My closest friends had forgotten me, they said. I knew this was a lie. I told them that I wouldn't believe a word they said. Maleficent thought I needed convincing.  
  
"She took me to Traverse town. 'See how he talks to his new companions? Like he's known them forever. Look at the key he holds. That was a gift from them. They chose him, and he has been most gracious in accepting it.' My heart sank. I decided I needed to talk to you myself. But that made it worse.  
  
"Maleficent's words seemed more and more true as I talked to you. You seemed very... Close to your new friends. I tried to get you to come with me, but... When you killed that heartless it killed me. 'Leave it to who?' Everything fell apart. You didn't need me anymore. I took that key from you just so I could see what a fine 'gift' these companions had given you. It was beautiful. Nothing I could give you could ever compare.  
  
"So I left. I succumbed to Maleficent's gentle coaxing. If I couldn't have you, then why not ruin myself? Why not kill my heart, if it would never love? I let Ansem use me. I let him use me to destroy you.  
  
"But I couldn't do that, either. Even though the words coming out of my mouth were not my own, even though the reactions of every muscle in my body were his, I could still see what was happening. I could see the terror and determination in your eyes. It scared me.  
  
"I was almost completely gone when Ansem no longer needed my body. He only really needed my heart after that. But my mind clung on. When he took his true form, I knew he was much too strong for you to handle. I knew he could've crushed you with his little finger. I summoned all of what was left of my strength to stop him. I had to. I couldn't bear to see you die.  
  
"After that, I was dead. I was nothing. With my strength gone, I couldn't see what Ansem saw anymore. I couldn't hear anything from the outside. The only feeling I had was in my heart. And that told me everything I needed to know.  
  
"You see, we're connected, you and I, through our hearts. I could feel what you were feeling. I knew you were scared. I knew you wouldn't give up. Then you fell. I thought... For the briefest instant I thought you'd lost all hope. So I used our connection to tell you to go on.  
  
"After all the bullshit Ansem put me through, I wanted to see him die. And I wanted you to be the one who killed him. I could feel every penetrating slice of the keyblade. It hurt like hell, but it was a good hurt. I knew that I only had to endure the pain for a while. Then Ansem would be gone. Then I would be free.  
  
"Letting you lock me inside Kingdom Hearts was a bit stupid. I may have been better off, hell, we /all/ may have been better off if I'd stayed on the outside, but... I had to do it. After realizing that I'd let my jealousy consume me enough to nearly kill you, I figured I should go away for awhile. My mind is weak. I'm easily manipulated. However, my heart is strong. This is a bad combination. It means that if a person can convince me to do something, no matter how awful or wrong it is, I'll stick by it, with just that little thread of moral conscience in the back of my mind screaming 'stop it.' I needed to think. I needed to be free of distractions.  
  
"Kingdom Hearts gave me what I needed. Near-complete solitude. Lots of time to think. My thoughts always rested on you. Memories of your voice became my strength. After a year in there, I realized that it was not an obsession, but love. I /loved/ you. It didn't make sense at first, but... Dammit, it was just... Right. And I was afraid. I was afraid that I'd never get out, and these newly discovered feelings could never be put into action."  
  
Riku sighed deeply. His gaze drifted to the stars above. How many worlds had Ansem destroyed? If Ansem hadn't died, how had he, Riku, escaped his clutches? He guessed that without his tremendous strength, Ansem had no hope of holding onto Riku's heart.  
  
"Now that I've found you, I don't know that I'd live very long if I lost you again." He hugged Sora tightly to him and kissed him deeply. Sora surrendered himself to the close contact and made no attempts to resist Riku's tongue.  
  
When they broke, Sora looked up at Riku curiously, noticing that Riku looked much paler than he had when they were young. Seven years in darkness. Sora could only imagine. "Was it horrible in there?"  
  
"Yes." A silver tear slid down Riku's cheek.  
  
'Something that you did will destroy me, something that you said will stay with me, long after you're dead and gone.'  
  
+++  
  
Ch. 6 Fin  
  
+++  
  
I'm going to end this story on a sad note. Why? Because it's not angst without unspeakable emotional pain... And they're easier to write. So, I'm going to leave you wondering what I'm gonna do. Am I gonna kill someone? Am I gonna send someone away? Am I going to make someone go horribly insane? That is for you to ponder. And I'm not ending it that quickly. Don't think you're rid of me yet. There'll be a couple more chapters. How many? No clue. Stay tuned.  
  
What a season To be beautiful Without a reason 


	7. Shattered

'It's funny how, even now, you still support me after all the things that I've done. You're so good to me; waiting patiently. And isn't it sad that you still have to ask if I care?'  
  
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and all of its characters are property and copyright Disney Interactive and Square. Any and all song lyrics are copyright their respective owners. I do not claim them to be my own. Yep.  
  
CRISIS AVERTED! Sorry this chapter has taken a bit longer than the others have, but I've been drained of ideas lately because of a big pile of shit I've had to deal with. It's fixed now, so slowly inspiration is returning. I hope this is as enjoyable as the other chapters. It should make the ending a bit easier to bear as well.  
  
+++  
  
She stood alone on a small, gradually growing island of sand. She backed up cautiously, fearing the darkness swarming below her tiny refuge.  
  
"Kairi!"  
  
She looked up to see a shadowy form running toward her. That voice...  
  
"Sora!"  
  
He ran to her as fast as he could. Before either of them could say anything, there was a tremendous 'bang!' The islands each were on began to separate. She nearly fell, but he caught her hand in his, looking at her soulfully.  
  
"Kairi! Remember what you said before? I'm always with you, too! I'll come back to you. I promise!" It was all he could think to say. Though he might never see her again.  
  
"... I know you will!"  
  
Their hands broke their light contact, and he was leaving her. His hand still reached for her; his phantom fingers still felt. The beautiful blue light receded into the dawn over a calm ocean. She watched until it was gone. He was gone...  
  
Something warm fell into her clasped hands. She looked up to see bits of sand and memory falling from the sky like golden teardrops. As she spun around, trees sprouted from the ground, aided by the shining stars that glided around her. This was her home. Her home at last.  
  
But it would never be the same again. He was gone. The full impact of what had happened had still not reached her fragile mind. She let the beauty of the scene be absorbed by her eyes and heart. Blue jets resembling fireworks shot into the sky, replacing the stars. She smiled in spite of herself, closing her eyes and letting the long-forgotten ocean breeze sweep over her.  
  
She looked around once the island had finished forming itself and found herself drawn to the secret place. She made her way down the narrow passage, remembering every crack and bump in the walls and floor. It was exactly as she remembered it, as if nothing had ever happened. Except for one thing.  
  
On the wall near the door, a slight alteration had been made to the drawings of Sora and herself. A hand had been drawn, extending a Paopu fruit to her image. Sora's phantom appeared, turning to smile at her. As soon as she reached for him, however, he vanished. She looked down to the picture, caressing it gently with her hand. Her other covered her mouth as she began to cry. She then did the only thing she knew to do: she drew herself extending the fruit to Sora. Everyday she hoped this simple gesture would bring him back to her.  
  
Then she woke up.  
  
++  
  
The pale morning light filtered through the hole in the cave's ceiling, passing over her eyes ever so gently, lifting the spell of sleep from her body.  
  
She gazed around wondering, and for the first time in a long while wondered if she were fourteen again. She casually raked her hand through her hair, and upon noticing its length realized that she wasn't.  
  
What a dream to have. She barely grasped that memory in her mind yesterday feeling the old emotions trickle through to her slowly. She was being too hard on Sora; she realized that now. After all, he had kept his promise. Even if it wasn't in the way she had wanted, at least he had come back.  
  
Then she remembered the silhouettes outlined in moonlight that she had inadvertently walked in on. Her heart ached. How could he? She had to speak to him again.  
  
As she left the small entrance tunnel, she saw Sora lying topless on the sand. Apparently alone.  
  
Was the scene last night merely a false memory? He looked unfazed, as if he had always been alone, or was destined to be alone...  
  
She walked up and sat next to him. He was still asleep. Had he been out here all night? Perhaps he had gone home and returned here to watch the sunrise but fallen asleep. It was possible, but not likely.  
  
She smiled at his childish innocence. For all the growing he'd done, he hadn't seemed to have grown up at all. His grin may have been touched with more sorrow than it used to, but other than that, he still acted like the same carefree boy she'd always known. He looked so peaceful when he was sleeping. He looked somehow... Satisfied. She noticed his lips were an unusual rosy hue, but attributed it to a good dream or some other such explanation.  
  
In the dim morning light he looked like some sort of fallen angel, stripped of his wings and power, yet still carrying that undying happiness and love for all things. She placed a light hand on his forehead, stroking his light brown hair. He was beautiful.  
  
"I was wondering when you'd come back," he mumbled sleepily, rolling on his side to face her, his deep blue eyes still closed.  
  
"Sora, I'm always here." She was glad. He seemed to have forgiven her for her harsh treatment. But then again, Sora never was one to hold a grudge.  
  
"Every time you leave me, I feel like I've lost you all over again." He slowly opened his eyes, revealing deep pools of blue slightly misted by the touch of sleep. Upon noticing whom he had been speaking to, he sat bolt upright, but tried to play it off, fearing another outburst. "Kairi, I've missed you so much."  
  
This was true. He had missed her. Not as much as he had missed Riku, but his feelings of love were undeniably still there. He didn't know if things would ever be the same as they had between them seven years ago, but if she'd only let him try...  
  
"Sora, I'm sorry. I've been unfair to you. I just... I just want you to know that I still love you." She blushed deeply, but did not break eye contact. She had been waiting too long for this to screw it up now.  
  
He placed his hand in her hair, just below her cheekbone, stroking her face with his thumb. "I love you, too." He smiled warmly at her. His eyes confirmed his words.  
  
Seven years of pent-up emotion flooded out in the small space between their eyes. They gave in to temptation and closed the gap with a kiss. It was chaste, but it did not need to be anything more. When two people are in love, they just know. Nothing needs to be said. No physical desire needs to be expressed. The two can merely sit together side by side until the world ends and be blissfully happy. This was how they felt at that moment. Their spirits melted together, and each knew that the other would carry them in their heart no matter what. Their kiss was more powerful than any Paopu fruit. They could have spent forever in that moment...  
  
"So." A voice came from in front of them. "I see that everything is back to normal."  
  
Sora broke the kiss and turned to face Riku, hands on his hips, trying to look passive as ever.  
  
"Riku... I-" he looked at the older boy with an expression of shock mixed with panic.  
  
"It's okay, Sora. I understand." He looked on the verge of tears, though his face remained stoic, even gentle.  
  
Sora stood, unable to contain himself. "Riku, look-"  
  
"Sora, it's okay. I know you love Kairi. I'm happy that you want to be with her." He turned away. "I'm just going to leave you two alone for a while. You need to talk." Sora could've sworn he heard Riku's voice breaking.  
  
Sora stepped forward to grab his arm, but Riku shook it off and ran. Where he was running to he didn't know. He would run until he ran out of breath, or strength, or hope...  
  
Sora let his arm drop and turned back to Kairi. "Kairi, I-"  
  
"I was hoping that it was a dream." She looked to him, her eyes edged with fresh tears. "A horrible nightmare, maybe. But I was wrong. Sora..." She looked down and sobbed. "I loved you..."  
  
"I love you, too..." he reached for her shoulder, but again he was denied simple contact. She, too, ran, in the opposite direction that Riku had gone. Sora was alone.  
  
"Oh, God." He muttered. "What's wrong with me? Why can't I... How can I choose? This is too much."  
  
He walked forward and waded out into the water. He decided that for the time being it was better not to follow either of them. They needed to work things out, too. But the looks on their faces... Those hopeless, shattered looks. They both truly felt for him, and he for them.  
  
"But why can't I CHOOSE?" he yelled angrily to the sky and no one in particular. The sky which bore his name. It seemed so placid, so free, while he himself was dying and bound. He sunk his head below the water's calm surface. Someone was going to have their heart broken, and he prayed to God it wouldn't be all three of them.  
  
'The coldest blue ocean water cannot stop my heart and mind from burning. Well, everyone who's in the know says, 'that's exactly how it goes.' And if there's anything good about me, then I'm the only one who knows.'  
  
+++  
  
Ch. 7 Fin  
  
+++  
  
Once again, I hope parts of this chapter will make the ending easier to understand and cope with. I still wanna make people cry (cuz I'm just evil like that), but I want there to be a reason. Well, bye for now! I hope the next chapter comes out a bit faster. 


	8. My favorite Flavor

'You're my favorite flavor. Any time. Anywhere. You're my playground love.'  
  
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and all of its characters are property and copyright Disney Interactive and Square. Any and all song lyrics are copyright their respective owners. I do not claim them to be my own. Yep.  
  
+Sweatdrop+ Sorry this chapter took so long! It's just... Well... I knew what I wanted to do, but I had to think of /how/ I was going to do it. I guess I have it figured out now. Mmm... yep. I feel kinda sick, now. .   
  
+++  
  
Sora lay face down in the water wanting to drown. The cool water filled his eyes and ears, muffling all sound except that of the crashing waves. He needed to think. Yes, thinking was good. 'Dammit, why does everything have to be so difficult?' he internally screamed.  
  
Kairi might be hard to find, but knew exactly where Riku would be. He swam over to a small island and climbed the ladder on its side. Sure enough, Riku was sitting on the bent trunk of the Paopu tree, deep in thought.  
  
"Riku..." Sora walked up to him cautiously, shaking some of the water out of his hair, letting the shimmering droplets spray the trees around him. Water dripped down his bare chest, catching some of the last rays of sunlight.  
  
"Hmm." Riku muttered a grunt of acknowledgement as Sora took a place beside him on the tree. He did not avert his eyes from the darkening sky. The clouds were already turning pink and orange. Red stained them all like blood.  
  
"Riku, I..." Sora shifted uncomfortably, searching for the rights words. "I..." His heart and mind were racing. How could he tell Riku what he felt when he wasn't sure himself?  
  
His thoughts were cut abruptly short by the feeling of Riku's lips on his. Sora hesitated at first, but soon returned the kiss. When he started getting really into it, Riku broke away. "Wait." He whispered, and turned around. Sora waited anxiously as Riku grabbed the largest Paopu on the tree and returned to Sora's side. "Will you share it with me?"  
  
Sora looked at the large, golden fruit. Its waxy surface reflected dying light that caught his own apprehensive reflection. He should've been thinking about all the repercussions this decision would have, but he wasn't. He nodded at Riku, his deep, blue eyes fearless and full of love. He thought it would guarantee that Riku would never leave him.  
  
Riku extended his arm and Sora let his teeth sink into the sweet flesh of the Paopu. The fruit was decadent. Bits of juice ran down his chin, but he made no effort to wipe them away. He maintained eye contact with Riku as the older boy took a bite. In a moment of passion, Sora flung his body onto Riku's, covering his mouth with a deep kiss. Sweet saltwater and the freshness of love filled his being. Sora explored Riku with his tongue, wanting to taste everything the other boy had to offer.  
  
"I love you..." Sora breathed into Riku's neck. They were both rather sticky from the Paopu's juice. Riku pulled Sora up to face him and proceeded to lick the sweetness from his lover's chin and neck.  
  
As the sun set lower in the sky, Riku lay back against the crook of the tree, cradling Sora in his arms. He smelled the boy's soft hair, letting the scent of possession wash over him. This was what he wanted. This was what they both wanted. And yet...  
  
"Sora..." he whispered into the younger boy's hair. "I love you. Promise me, that no matter what happens, you'll always be happy."  
  
Sora looked up into Riku's calm yet insistent eyes. Where had that come from? "What do you mean...?"  
  
"Just promise me," he buried his face in Sora's neck, "I can't stand to see you hurt. Please, promise me."  
  
Sora wrapped his arm around the back of Riku's neck and hesitantly replied, "I promise."  
  
+++  
  
Ch. 8 Fin  
  
+++  
  
Yes, short chapter, I know. Seems happy, ne? Well, I'm not saying anything. This story's coming to a close, BTW. Just one or two (probably two) more chapters. I couldn't dump the next thing on you in this chapter. I wanna wait on that. 


	9. Don't think of Me

'I wanna bulletproof your soul. And I'll never let you go. I won't let you fall until you tell me so. You're a bullet through my soul, but I'll never let you know. I won't let you fall until you let it go.'  
  
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and all of its characters are property and copyright Disney Interactive and Square. Any and all song lyrics are copyright their respective owners. I do not claim them to be my own. Yep.  
  
Here comes the pain.  
  
+++  
  
Riku sighed into Sora's soft locks, closing his eyes. His heart had been eased a bit from its heavy burden, but he had to fight to keep back the torrent of pain issuing forth. They couldn't stay like this forever.  
  
Sora, finally feeling at ease with the older boy, decided he should tell Riku what had happened earlier. "Riku, about what you saw, me and Kairi-"  
  
"It's okay." Riku breathed. "It's okay. In fact, I'm glad. You two should be together. I want you to be happy with her."  
  
"What?" Sora turned to face him, his eyes wide. "What do you mean, 'be happy with her'? I'm happy with you..."  
  
"It isn't meant to be." Riku looked into Sora's eyes with a mixed expression of knowing and pain before quickly shutting them. "I have to leave."  
  
Sora sat up straight now, mad as hell, but scared and afraid at the same time. "But you just got here! You can't go! Riku-!"  
  
Riku gritted his teeth, trying as hard as he could to hold back tears. "Sora, seven years ago you locked me inside Kingdom Hearts. I was put in there for a reason. That reason was starting to elude me. I was /failing/, Sora. So I was kicked out. I guess I needed reminding. All that time I thought I wanted to be out here with you. For six years I was /dead/. Now I realize that I /have/ to be in there, so I can protect you."  
  
"Why can't you protect me here?!" Tears ran from Sora's eyes. The deep blue pools reflected more pain than Riku ever thought. He reached out his hand for Sora's face, but let it drop, thinking better of it.  
  
"I would if I could, Sora, but... The other worlds are being destroyed. Ansem is killing thousands. The others-"  
  
"FUCK the others!" Sora yelled in rage. His outburst shocked them both. "I can't lose you again! WHY CAN'T YOU STAY HERE?!"  
  
"BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THIS WORLD IF I DO!" Anger and fear locked onto each other and the contact was quickly broken. Riku looked down at his lap. 'It's like falling backwards into no one's arms.' "I don't know what it means for me to stay here. Cloud said they hadn't destroyed this world because they were waiting for something. Maybe they were waiting for me... Or us." He looked up at the stars, as if expecting the sky to split and a million Heartless to fall out.  
  
Sora looked out to the shoreline. The waves crashed relentlessly, as they had every day before, and would every day after. (AN: Riku means land or shore. How interesting that they are looking at their namesakes and not directly at each other.) "Riku..." he whispered into the wind, letting his voice get carried out to sea. He leaned forward and embraced him, burying his face in his neck. His sobs racked his body, tears flowing freely down Riku's shoulder and back.  
  
Riku rubbed Sora's back gently with his hand, holding the boy's head with his other. "Please don't cry, Sora. You're the last person I want to see hurt, especially because of me..." Riku found tears issuing forth from his own eyes now, catching in Sora's soft hair. "Please don't cry."  
  
"I can't help it. I-I... I just..." he choked out between sobs, hugging Riku tighter every second.  
  
Riku found himself smiling for some reason. "You know, I tried to tell you I loved you once, all those years ago." He stroked the back of Sora's head. "Even I didn't realize it then. I gave you a Paopu fruit. I wasn't sure why I gave it to you in the first place, and I was even more confused as to why I felt so hurt when you tossed it into the sea."  
  
A Paopu fruit. He remembered. They had only been kids. When he thought about it, he realized that maybe that's why Riku had changed, though just a little bit, back then. He was confronting his feelings for Sora. The Paopu was a simple but profound gesture, and Sora remembered that he had been confused as well by one being offered from his best friend. And what about the one he had so eagerly accepted just now?  
  
"Riku, we shared a Paopu. Doesn't that mean that we'll always be together?" Sora's face brightened a little.  
  
Riku smiled and looked back to the sky. He had always loved Sora's naivete. "The legend's a bit more complicated than the romantic fairytales they fed us when we were younger. The people's destinies are entwined, yes, but that doesn't mean that they'll always be together physically." He looked back into Sora's youthful eyes. "Sora, when we ate that fruit, our souls melded together. You're a part of me..."  
  
"And you're a part of me." Sora finished. His tears were subsiding. "So, when you go, you won't really be leaving me."  
  
"No, far from it. Sora, you hold my flame in you now. Don't let it go out." He kissed him lightly on the cheek and pulled away before looking away to the stars. "I wish I could stay here, I really do. But I have to protect you. Please understand, my love."  
  
Sora was a bit surprised that Riku had called him his 'love', but he was pleased none-the-less. "I understand now. I'll never forget you, Riku. I'll keep your flame burning strong."  
  
"But you need to forget, or you'll never be happy. You'll keep my fire alive by just being you, Sora. You promised me, that no matter what happened, you'd be happy. Keep that promise, Sora. That's all I need from you."  
  
"But... But I can't forget you!" Sora grasped Riku's shoulders, his eyes pleading. Riku only smiled.  
  
"You'll forget me sooner than you think. I'm always with you, Sora. You don't need to think of me. Kairi can give you so many things that I can't; family, children. You don't need me. Everything I had to give gave out long before."  
  
Riku hopped gracefully off the trunk of the Paopu tree. He smiled at Sora, and walked away, leaving Sora to his thoughts of what could've been. "Goodbye." It was barely whispered, but it didn't need to be any louder or softer.  
  
Sora found Kairi sitting alone in the secret place later that night. He apologized for what had happened earlier and said he loved only her. She graciously took him back. "You're the only person I've ever loved." She cried tearfully. Sora wished he could've said the same.  
  
++  
  
Sora eventually did forget Riku and their loving embraces on the beach so many years ago. He was happy with Kairi. They had married not long after Riku had left. She had given him two sons, whom he loved very much.  
  
His youngest son looked very much like himself, always happy and playing around. His oldest son, however, was quite the opposite. He mostly kept to himself, and often sat on the Paopu tree to think. Sora would sometimes sit on the dock for hours, just watching his son's silver hair flow in the gentle ocean breeze. And for brief moments, he remembered.  
  
'When you see her sweet smile, baby, don't think of me. And when she lies in your warm arms, don't think of me.'  
  
+++  
  
Ch. 9 Fin  
  
+++  
  
Descend and Conquer Complete  
  
+++  
  
For those of you who had been hoping for a RikuSora ending, sorry. I like pulling things off tragically. Actually, it wasn't as sad as I wanted it to be. The fluff took me over. Gah! It's choking me! Well, I hope you enjoyed it! I'll do another one someday where Kairi doesn't keep them apart. In the meantime, if you're allowed to read super-violent fics, check out Shift Iridescent. It's Riku angst. Rated R for... Various reasons.  
  
They press their lips against you, And you love the lies they say And I tried so hard to reach you, But you're falling anyway. And you know I see right through you Cuz the world got in your way. What's the point in all this screaming? You're not listening anyway. 


End file.
